Racket for playing lawn-tennis, &amp;c.



No. 739,450. r PATENTED SEPT. 22, 1903.

A. scznmx.

RAGKET' FOR PLAYING LAWN TENNIS, 6w.

AIPLIOATIOI FILED HOV. 28, 1902.

no IQDELV Witnesses. I I 4 UNITED STATES V Patented September22, 1903;:

PAT NT OFFICE.

RACKET FOR PLAY ING LAWN-TENNIS, as.

SPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 739,450, dated September 22, 1903.

I Application filed November 28,1902. Eerial lVo. 133,045. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern/:

Be it known that I, 'ALOIS SOHNEK, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, residing at XIII Breitensee, Vienna, Austria- Hungary, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in'Rackets for Playing Lawn-Tennis and the Like, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

This improvement relates to means for retaining the racket firmlyin the hands of the player, while relieving his fingers of strain,

so that they shall notIin any way become in the required direction.

In order that my invention may be under stood and readily carried into practice, I will proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a racket embodying my invention and attached to a hand and wrist thereby, held in position for a stroke; and Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail in cross-section on the line at of Fig. 1 with both eyelets 5 moved up to'the top of thegrooves for. convenience of illustration.

In carrying this-invention into eifect lon 'gitudinal grooves 1' are cut inthe sides of the handle 1 of the racket, whichreceive and are covered by sheet-metal guides 2 of channel or other suitable section extending from the shoulders 24 at one end of the grooves to the opposing shoulders 2 at the other end and flush with the surface of the handle, so as to afford an even handhold. The guides are held in place in the handle longitudinally by abutting against-the shoulders Wand 2 and laterallyby small pins or screws 2 through countersunk holes, the legs of the U forming the section of the guide and holding the channel to the wood of the handle, at the same time leaving no obstruction to the passage of the block 3, as the countersink is sufficiently deep to bring the heads of the fasteners flush with or below the wearing-surfaces of the properly manipulate the ball dle to suit, one toward the top grasps the handle between guides. In the space included between the bottom of the grooves and the guides are placed sliding blocks 3, with which engage screws 4, passed through longitudinal slots L in the guides and having exterior thereto an eyelet or knob 5, or both combined, as shown. A collar 6, integral with each screw, allows its corresponding sliding-block to be clamped against the associated guide at any point along the latter by turning said screw down. The sides of the channel-formed guides serve as wear-plates for said slides, preventingthe walls of the groove from being worn.

An elastic or other suitable fastening-band 7 of sufficient width to prevent cutting into the hand or wrist of'the player is provided with hooks or other suitable fastenings,which engage with the eyelets or knobs 5. In order to adapt the device to the hand of the player, the sliding parts are adjusted along the ban and the other and clamped 4, collars 6,

toward the heel of the handle, in position by means of screws and the intervening guides.

the eyelets, and the band is hooked to the upper one thereof, passed between the thumb and forefinger and down over, the back of the hand to the lower, under which it is passed, continued across the front of the .wrist, around the back of the wrist, and finally hooked to said lower eyelet.

By means of this device the player is enabledto grasp. the handle of the racket with greater certainty andmore firmly, even when the grasp is relaxed the twisting or moving of theracket in the hand being materially lawn-tennis and The player then covering-guides laid in said grooves flush with the exterior surface of the handle and having longitudinal slots, sliding blocks inclosed between the base of the grooves and the guides, clamping-screws passing through the slots in said guides and taking into the sliding blocks,

strap-engaging devices upon said screws exterior to the guides and a band for engaging said devices and passing around the hand and wrist, as set forth.

2. In rackets for playing lawn-tennis and the like, the combination with longitudinal grooves out in the sides of the handle, of metal covering-guides laid in said grooves flush with the exterior surface of the handle and having longitudinal slots, sliding blocks inclosed between the base of the grooves and the guides, clamping-screws passing through the slots in said guides and takinginto the sliding blocks, strap-engaging devices upon said screws exterior to the guides, and a band or strap of elastic material having provisions at its ends for engaging said devices.

3. In rackets for playing lawn-tennis and the like, the combination with longitudinal grooves out in the sides of the handle, of metal covering-guides laid in said grooves flush with the exterior surface of the handle and having longitudinal slots, sliding blocks inclosed between the base of the grooves and the guides,

clamping-screws passing through the slots in said guides and taking into the sliding blocks, eyelets upon said screws exterior to the guides,

and a band or strap for passing over the hand, provided with hooks at its ends for engaging said eyelets.

4. In rackets for playing lawn-tennis and the like, the combination with longitudinal grooves out in the sides of the handle, of longitudinally-slotted metal covering-guides channel-shaped in cross-section,laid in said grooves flush with the exterior surface of the handle and with their channel sides forming Wearplates along the side walls of the grooves, sliding blocks inclosed between the base of the grooves and the guides, clamping-screws passing through the slots in said guides and taking into the sliding blocks, strap-engaging devices upon said screws exterior to the guides anda band for engaging said devices and passing around the hand and wrist, as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name, this 8th day of November, 1902, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALOIS SOHNEK.

Witnesses:

INGTNAR KNOPFELMACHER, ALVESTO S. HOGUE. 

